U.S. median for this major: $49,968.
College Scorecard field of study; 21 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 54% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,490.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $19,601. College Scorecard.
Shepherd University Psychology: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Psychology nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses Shepherd University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $7,906 | $34,865 | 4.0 years |
| $30–48k | $7,753 | $34,191 | 4.0 years |
| $48–75k | $10,107 | $44,572 | 5.2 years |
| $75–110k | $14,000 | $61,740 | 7.1 years |
| $110k+ | $15,866 | $69,969 | 8.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (33% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Psychology graduates 4 years after graduating ($41,344) minus $32,695 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WV (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $8,649 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Psychology at West Virginia colleges
Every West Virginia college we cover that reports Psychology graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia University Institute of Technology | $51,263 | $23,328 | $9,337 | 33% |
| 2 | West Virginia University | $51,263 | $23,328 | $15,634 | 65% |
| 3 | Fairmont State University | $46,235 | $26,000 | $9,032 | 44% |
| 4 | Wheeling University | $45,395 | — | $20,503 | 23% |
| 5 | Marshall University | $45,309 | $26,000 | $7,502 | 51% |
| 6 | West Virginia State University | $42,434 | $26,305 | $11,139 | 39% |
| 7 | Shepherd University | $41,344 | $22,500 | $11,363 | 51% |
| 8 | Concord University | $41,259 | $15,648 | $9,966 | 39% |
5 more West Virginia colleges offer Psychology but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Psychology graduates
Social Science Research Assistants
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.0% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at Shepherd University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Shepherd University
- Acceptance rate: 97% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 51% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $49,358
- Full cost breakdown · all 33 majors · overview
Related majors at Shepherd University
- Sociology$63,412
- Social Work$48,122
Shepherd University Psychology questions
How much do Shepherd University Psychology graduates earn?
Psychology graduates of Shepherd University earn a median $41,344 four years after graduating and $31,282 one year after. The U.S. median for Psychology graduates across 998 colleges is $49,968.
How much debt do Shepherd University Psychology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Psychology graduates of Shepherd University is $22,500, about 54% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,490.
Is Shepherd University a good school for Psychology in West Virginia?
On pay, Psychology graduates of Shepherd University earn $41,344 four years out, $4,008 below the median for the same major across 8 West Virginia colleges ($45,352) and $8,624 below the U.S. median ($49,968). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Shepherd University rank for Psychology in West Virginia?
Of 8 West Virginia colleges reporting Psychology graduate earnings, Shepherd University ranks 7th. The highest is West Virginia University Institute of Technology at $51,263.
What jobs do Psychology graduates get?
A common career is social science research assistants, with a median wage of $65,330 in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV area and $61,990 nationally.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Shepherd University Psychology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/shepherd-university/majors/psychology (College Scorecard and BLS data).